Paul
Henshall lives in Ontario Canada . He was 62 when he was diagnosed in April 2007.
His initial PSA was 6.5 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 6 (3+3) and he was staged
T1c. His choice of treatment was Hypofractionated accelerated radiation - a form
of EBRT (External Beam Radiation Treatment). If you go to his web site: hslrallysport.ca
and click onto Prostate link either in the top menu or using the last button on
the left and you will find the full detailed story to date of his journey, but
here is a summary:
I was referred to a urologist two years ago when
my PSA rose over the flagging point of 3.5, as measured in the blood tests done
as part of my yearly physical.
January '07, I went to see my urologist
and my PSA had risen over 6. I said I would return in March and if it was still
the same or higher I wanted a biopsy ASAP. It did rise to over 6.5 so in April
I had the "royal pain in the ass". Best described as using dental burrs dipped
in chilli peppers to freeze the prostate. Sampling was pain-free. Diagnosis came
back positive as described: Gleason 6 (3+3), T1C and PSA 7.11.
Further
discussion with my urologist revealed that he did not feel surgery was justified
unless a patient had a Gleason of 7 or 8 but would do it if I requested. And he's
a cutter! He referred me to Sunnybrook regional Cancer Centre in Toronto where
I met the Radiation Oncology team headed by Dr. Andrew Loblaw who had just completed
one round of Hypofractionated Accelerated Radiation (pHART3) with 30 patients.
My scores matched their criteria for invitation and that was to begin in November
after the first round was reviewed by the Ethics Committee. I actually began the
treatment in December and finished the 5th and final radiation January 11, 2008.
I have now been in recuperation for 2 weeks. First follow-up blood tests
will be March 6th and regular 3 month recalls will begin after that.
I
have approached my gym to do a fund raiser for prostate cancer, using Motorcycle
Ride for Dad as its charity. The link is at the very bottom of the Prostate page.
That will take place on March 1. At least seven personal trainers will compete
in a fitness circuit designed by another trainer and each will solicit pledges
from other trainers or trainees. I shall post a prize for the winner too, TBA.
I shall be contacting former Rotary Club colleagues to offer a talk on
my journey and research to date.
I feel that the first key to successful
post treatment in being in the best physical fitness you can muster. I have been
working out regularly at the gym for the past 8-9 years and this past week did
three workouts. Each was equal to what I did pre-radiation and no unexpected after
effects occurred. I had three cups of coffee before with a spinach and tomato
omelette, drank over 1L of water during training and had three urinations subsequent,
this past Friday. Each was full flow. Urgency was avoided in the first two by
proactivity, while the third was slightly urgent after stopping at Starbucks on
the way home.
I have gotten into the habit of two hour cycles on urination
but can go longer, easily overnight. Yesterday, Saturday, I strained to drill
out a sheared bolt holding a lower ball joint in place without dribbling, for
instance, by using the two hour cycle.
I am tracking the progress of a
colleague who had a prostatectomy in April. My department head who had radiation
9 yrs ago is currently back for hormone therapy. And another died of pancreatic
cancer after surviving leukaemia. The curious part is that we all taught together
in the same high school science dept...
Paul
Paul's
e-mail address is: paul@hslrallysport.ca
